Mr Meticulous is playing it by the book to take on Kosmina

Sebastian Hassett

IT SEEMS a lifetime ago that John Kosmina gave Tony Popovic his break in the Sydney FC coaching ranks. Tell some people today, given how differently the pair are perceived, and it's a fanciful thought.

The year was 2008, Popovic was 35, and his decorated playing career, which had stretched for almost two decades, was rapidly coming to a close. His mind was sharp, but the legs not as willing. Injuries began to mount, and every time a player ran at him with pace it was clear the end was nigh. A month later, the last act on a football field by ''Poppa'' was to give away a penalty, gifting a win to Wellington Phoenix. He officially quit a few days later.

Kosmina quickly offered him the chance to shift into the dugout as his right-hand man. Although Popovic lamented the end of one journey, it would be a pivotal moment in the next phase of his career.

While his club and country peers were known for their great love of the social life, and although Popovic was hardly immune from that, he balanced it with an unyielding attention to detail. A textbook professional.

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The word used to describe him, especially from teammates who toured with him on Socceroos' camps, was universal: meticulous. Those exact qualities immediately stood out about him as he entered the coaching ranks. Popovic eased into retirement in name only, seizing upon his new opportunity. First to arrive at training, almost without fail, Popovic bore the same equipment every day: a clipboard, a whistle, a stopwatch and a relentless attitude.

Players raved about his hard but fair approach - even if some sessions, especially at the beach, bordered on torture. Everything was timed, recorded and cross-referenced. His style was markedly different to Kosmina's.

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One senior player, a teammate of Popovic's at both Sydney and for Australia, put it bluntly: ''He's going to manage the Socceroos one day, mark my words. He's a complete natural, almost a born coach.''

There was, however, discontent in the dressing room with the senior coach. As the season began to slip away, Kosmina began taking out established players and gave youngsters a chance, alienating many influential voices.

''Kosmina has not been sacked because he can't coach,'' wrote Herald columnist Michael Cockerill at the time. ''He's been sacked because he took on the egos inside his dressing room.''

Some of those players moved for Popovic to take over from Kosmina, motioning that they already listened to him more and that he was fit for the top job. Even though that didn't happen, the players resolved not to cause a ruckus under the next manager, and, happily for them, Vitezslav Lavicka was amiable enough to cede control of the dressing room. They won the league in his first season. Popovic spent 18 months alongside Lavicka before taking the assistant's role at Crystal Palace. Ironically, when the Palace offer first came up, Popovic inquired to the Sydney board about whether he was viewed as Lavicka's successor. He was bluntly told he wasn't ready.

Now on Friday night, Popovic and Kosmina - in charge of their hometown clubs - will cross paths for the first time in this city since Kosmina was sacked. Yet while Popovic is revered as the face of a new coaching generation, Kosmina is among a growing number of those on their second or third chance making good. He's going great, in fact.

In his first full season back, Adelaide are second - eight points clear of Melbourne Victory, and nine points ahead of Popovic's Wanderers.